Car-coupler mechanism



' 21, 1931. w KELSO 1,801,924

CAR COUPLER MECHANISM Filed Sept. 27, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwucntoz April 21, 1931.

W. KELSO CAR COUPLER MECHANISM Filed Sept. 27, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 21, 1931 wmnmivrxntso, or rimsnnnem PENNSYLVANIA, assrenon TO THE mcoonwnxw.

mommy. comrAnY; or. rmrsnnnen, PENNSYLVANIA, ..A-.- CORPORATION? or rm- SYLVA-NIAV CAR-COUPLER- Application fiIed' September 27, 1928.

invention relates to. car "coupler mechanism and is particularly concerned with" means for insuring that the look by Whichthe knuckle isrnorma -l-ly' retainedin coupled 5 position shall be prevented fromaccidentall-y'j limping or jarring to unlocked'position when: in service; especially where: the un coupling device for actuatingthe knuckle lock: is" of the widely used jointed-" lever or Tn thefwellknown jointed lever type ofj uncouplingdevice"with which large numbersof freight cars'are'equippedj itsfulcrum or pivot: pin is so positioned that lathe parts are only: slightly" out ofbalance aboutit" and th e inneren'dbfthe' uncoupling lever may therefore be" readilythrown or jolted in responseto sudden vertical vibrations"='of'"the car as the latter moves along;

zouneven track: When-- the speed is moderate 1 and the track is. in goo dcondition, the upward movements imparted tol'the inner end ofltlieuncouplin'g. device are not of suffi= ci'ent. amplitude to result in freeing the knuckle" locking" block; from the control of.v the'mea'ns with. which car" couplers are usually provided for preventing the locking block "from accidentally moving to; unlocked position; Under. severe service, however, 3 such as is dueto-the track being in bad condition; operation atrhigh" speed, andtheuse: at times of freight cars in; express service, the? vigorous joltings'to. which the car bodies 1 are subjectedsometimes effects accidentalupward movement of the] inner end of the: uncoupling lever of sufiiciently great extent torelea-se the lockingblock from'thecontroli of thermeansxbywhich it is normally prevented. from executing an, unlocking; movem'ent'. J 5

As is frequently the case; there is little or no pull on the coupler knuckles at various times when the train isin motion, and if, under such conditions .1 the locking block' is accidentally released from the control of thedevic'e normally preventing: it from moving: tov unlocked position it is: free to jump upward: to an unlocked: position since it is not then clamped. between the tail. of. the 5-3 "knuckle-:- and the; side. wallof the coupler MEGHANISM- Serial No. 308,733.

dental upward movement of the locking.

block to lock-set position permits. the

knuckle to perform" an uncoupling rotati'on" permitting. the trainto party The present invention" has for: its' object to provide a car coupler with simple andelficient'means" for preventing an uncoupling device of the jointed lever type from. accident-ally releasingthe coupler locking 'bloclr'from the control. of the means by which the latteri'is' normally locked in locked. position.

The. principal feature of the; invention consistsin associating the coupler lock: and itslifter with. an upwardlymovable uncou plin'g lever and with. a locking memloerfor the latter; the" coupler lock being: formed with an upwardly and rearwardly opening recess for receiving; tlielower end of: the lock lifter as'welkas thelowen end" of'tlie" saidlever locking member, the lifter being. adapted to cooperate" with the coupler head to lock the" coupler" lock: in locked. position; and beingfprovided with trunnions whereby it is 'slidably androtatably connected tov the coupler lock,' thenncoupling lever locking member being slidaloly supported at its lower. end upon one of the. said trunnions and. being formed towarditsupper end with a rearward projection or shoulder. cooperating. with the coupler head and with. the uncoupling lever to preventthelatter from. ac cidentally releasing the lock lifter from. locking cooperation withthe coupler head.

Other'features of theinvention relating; to*

advantageous details of: construction and combinations of parts will hereinafter appear andfbe-pointeid out in the: claims.

' In the drawings yFigure 1 is aplan view of a. car couplerr'embodying thev invention showinggits-relatiionto an uncoupling device of the jointed: lever type, adjacent portions of the car upon which-it is'mounted being also shown;

Figure-Qds-an elevational view of the con-- struction. showntin Figure 1.. V

Figure 3=is a. sideelevational- View; partly-i in section, of the'coupler and: associated uncoupling; device,.the parts being in. the .posi

tions they normally occupy when the coupler is locked.

Figure 4 is a detail view, partly in elevation and partly in section, showing the positions assumed by the parts when the lever locking member has been partially raised by the accidental upward movement of the inner end of the uncoupling lever while the locking block remains in normal locked position.

Figure 5 is a view corresponding to Fig ure 4 but showing the positions assumed by the parts when the coupler lock has been released from the control of the means by which it is normally prevented from accidentally moving to unlocked position.

Fi re 6 is a detail View in side elevation showing the lock lifter and the uncoupling lever locking member, these parts being in normal locked relation as shown in Figure 3.

Fi re 7 is a front elevation of the associate parts illustrated in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a sectional view on the line 88, Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a sectional view on the line 9-9, Figure 6.

The invention has been shown as a plied to a car coupler of the standard D type whose coupler head 1 houses a vertically movable and rearwardly swinging lock 2 normally serving to lock the rotatable knuckle 3, the said lock being adapted to actuate the horizontally rotatable knuckle opener lever 4 to force the knuckle to open position. These several parts may be of the usual standard form but, if desired and as shown in the drawings, the standard look ing block may be formed below its recess 5 for receiving the lock lifter 6 with a bevelled or undercut rear face 7 for cooperating with the forward undercut face 8 of a clownwardl projecting lug 9 at the lower end of the li tor, as fully described in my pendin 0 application for Letters Patent of the United.

States, Serial No. 282,446, filed June 2, 1928. It is referred to provide the locking block 2 and its lifter 6 with the cooperating undercut faces 7 and 8 respectively instead of strictly adhering to the standard practice in respect to the form of the lock and the form of the lower end of the lock lifter, because it has been found that the provision of the bevelled faces 7 and 8 effectively prevents the locking block from accidentally jarring upward to unlocked position under all conditions except where an uncoupling device of the jointed lever or push-down type is associated with the coupler for the purpose of unlocking the latter, and that even then the cooperating bevelled faces referred to effectively function unless the car upon which the coupler is mounted is subjected to unusually severe joltings.

Toward its lower end the lock lifter G is provided on its rear side with an upwardly facing inclined shoulder 10 which, when the locking block 2 is in locked position, normally stands under the usual lockdown lug 11 on the interior of the coupler head ant thus serves to lock the locking block in locked position. The lock lifter 6 is slidably and pivotally connected to the lock 2 by being provided with oppositely projecting trunnions 12 which extend into shouldered guideways 13 formed in the lateral walls of the lifter receiving recesses 5 of the lock, one of the trunnions being somewhat longer than the other in order to support the uncoupling lever locking member. The lock lifter is thus enabled to perform a preliminary movement effecting the withdrawal of its shoulder 10 from beneath the lockdown lug 11 of the coupler head, so as to enable the locking block to perform the subsequent vertical and swinging movements necessary to cause it to assume lockset position and to actuate the horizontally rotatable knuckle opener lever 4. To limit rearward movement of the lower end of the lock lifter when the parts are in normal locked relation, the lifter is formed above its shoulder 10 with a face 14 adapted to engage the forward face of the lock down lug 11 on the interior of the coupler head.

To prevent the inner portion 15 of the uncoupling lever member 16 from accidentally jumping upward to effect a movement of the lock lifter 6 resulting in releasing the locking block 2 from control of the lock-tothe-lock means normally provided by the cooperation of the shoulder 10 of the lock lifter with the lockdown lug 11 of the coupler head, the coupler is provided with an uncoupling lever locking member 17 which is positioned at the side of the lock lifter 6 and, like the latter, extends downwardly through an opening 18 in the top wall of the coupler head and enters the recess 5 of the locking block. Between its ends the uncoupling lever locking member 17 has upon its rear face an extension or shoulder 19 which stands beneath the portion 20 of the top wall of the coupler head when the parts are in locked relation, the shoulder being spaced downwardly a short distance from the top wall of the head. The lever locking member is preferably of angular form, being fashioned at its lower end with a downwardly and rearwardly inclined portion 21 which is slidably seated upon the adjacent trunnion 12 of the lock lifter and which, like the shoulder 10 of the lock lifter, normally projects under the lockdown lug 11 of the coupler head.

This lower inclined portion 21, by cooperating with the trunnion of the lock lifter. insures the return of the lever locking mem ber 17 to its normal locked position whenever it is free to move under the infiuence of gravity. As will be seen from E'igure 5; the portion: 21: ot the member 1'? 1s of SllfllClQnt: length to prevent? the lower end of the lever locking member from.

assuming aposition in advanceof the tronnions 12in any" relation: which the lever locking member and lock lifter may assume. It. is also to be noted. that the portion 21 of; the lever locking member is of" such-length.

as to prevent any=possibility of the escape of. the. lower end; of: the lever locking menr her 17 from. the. slot 5 of the locking block, thus. preventing the member 17 from riding the top of the locking block: 2.. soas to pre vent the artst dropping to locked; position.

Theinner' end 15 ofthe: uncoupling lever deviceextends through openings" in. the upper ends of the; lock: lifter 6-and lever locking member 117. The openingv 22 at the upper end of the. member 17 for receivingthe portion 15 of: the: uncoupling lever ispreferably slightly-elongated: verticalliy so asPto? permit; the lower inclined end portion. 21 of: the lever locking member tow slide downwardly upon; the trunnion? 12 thus insuring! the: rearward. extension or'locking shoulder 1=9:'shall; stand well under the overliyingf portionLQlO of? the top 'wall of, theeouplerihead Whenthe parts a re iirlocked relation. The elongationofi the lever receivingopening QQ: inlthe upper end; of the: member 1-7" als'orinsures that. the: weight. of the.

inner end portion 15 ofithe2uncoupling'lever shallbe sustained by the lockrliizter 6* in zthe normal locked? position of; the: par-tea The 1 opening: 23: at: the" upper" end of the? lock.- lifter-for" receiving; the: portion 151 of:

the inner:uncouplinglevermemherlfi isver tiCa-lly elongated: toaperinit the part 15 to have-a preliminary upward' oruncoupling" movement? before it: actuatesi the lock lifter'.. The lower portion of theropeningiilg: isacon'; stricted' soass to provide front and 1 rear up:- wardly extending-shoulders 24 andt25- respectia ely w'hich are adapted to cooperate" with the portion 15 of the uncouplingrleveri mechanism: 'As' these shoulders normally stand on opposite sides of the inner .end? of the: uncoupling lever when the parts are in: locked relation-they thereby prevent the latterfrom being thrown'to aposition: which would: release the lever locking; member 1 7" as a" result of sudden stopping? or starting: of the. train or of: severe" application of brakes to reduce speed. The upperportion of: the lever receiving opening 23' in the lock. lifterrwide'ned as. all-26 se as to ex tend upwardlybeyond the lower constricted portion of said opening; the'lower forward wall 27 ofi the wider part of the opening being inclined to provide a? slope? down which the inner end 15 of the uncoupling lever may'gravitate whentiti islfree-t'o' do soafter having been actuated by the trainman: The'lower' portion 2801:- the rear wall of: the opening QBi preferably" inclinesupwardly and forwardly' 'so' that an:a'ccidentalup'ward:

movement" of the inner' portion 15* of: the' uncoupling lever device produces a slight: rearward rotation of: the lock: lifter which results in forcing'the undercut face at the lower end of the: latter to a position closely adj acent: t'o-the cooperating: bevelled or undercut face 7 upon the rear of the locking" pling lever member 16 accidentally jumps;

upwardly so as to' bring the: rear-ward ex tension or shoulder19'o'f1 the lever locking-i member 17 into contact with the portionQO. of the top wall of the coupler head,.thepressure of the shoulder 19' againstthe head.

tends to cause the lever locking member 17 i torotate forwardly around the uncoupling lever portion 15 as a center; Such rotation, which if permitted might enabletthe locking shoulder 19 to escape from; beneath the overlying. portion 20 oil the coupler head, is prevented by the engagement of the'lower' portion 21 of the lever locking member'with the adjacent trunnion 12 of the-lock lifter 6;" The efiicient performance of its function by'the lever locking member 17 is thus. in-g sured.

The coupler locking mechanism is actuated-- by an uncouplinglever' deviceof the well-'ltnown formin which downwardpush on the outer 'endi of an outer lever member 30 causes the inner lever member 16 to rotate so as to enable theportion 15 of. the. latter which engages: the coupler locking mecha-' nism to move upwardly; The two lever members, 16 and 30 respectively-,. are pivotially mounted atf3l on a bracket 32 secured to the car body,the'=inner end 33 ot theouter lever member extending under the inner lever member16' so as to impart an'upward: oruncoupling rotation to the latter when forced downward.

The unlockingof the coupler is effected by.

the uncoupling lever device in the usual way except that the' operatorshould force the outer end of thehandleor-lever member'30 rearwardly as he pushes itfl downwardly. This rearward movement, which the normal looseness of the uncoupling lever members on their pivot permits, causes the inner end portion 15 of the lever member 16 to move initially to the extreme upper and forward:

end of the widened part; 26. of the opening 23 in the lock lifter, thuszshifting the upper end of the lever locking member 17 i forthe-outer end oi the lever memberBOl is p wardly for a sufficient distance to withdraw its locking shoulder 19 from beneath the overlying portion 20 of the top wall of the coupler head. Vhen the rearward extension or shoulder 19 of the lever locking member has thus been brought into registry with the opening 18 in the top wall of the coupler head the lock lifter 6 and the lever locking member 17 are free to be raised, either to cause the locking block 2 to assume lockset position or to cause it to perform the extended unlocking movement necessary to actuate the knuckle opener lever 4.

The mechanism may be assembled by in setting the lock lifter 6 through the throat of the coupler head 1 and assembling the locking block 2, knuckle opener l, and knuckle 3 in the usual manner. Then these arts have been positioned in the coupler liead the locking block 2 is raised to lockset position, thus permitting the lever locking member 17 to be inserted downwardly through the opening or slot- 18 in the top wall of the coupler head. After that has been accomplished the portion 15 of the inner lever member of the uncoupling device is passed through the openings therefor in the upper ends of the lock litter 6 and lever locking member 17 and the uncoupling device is thereafter mounted upon the bracket 32 by which it is pivotally supported.

I claim 1. In car coupler mechanism, the combination of a coupler head, a rotatable knuckle, a lock for the knuckle, an uncoupling lever device having an upwardly movable inner end portion, and a plurality of relatively movable members movably connected to said end portion and extending therefrom downwardly into the coupler head. said lock being formed with an upwardly and rearwardly opening slot for receiving said members, one of said members being formed at its upper end with an upwardly and forwardly extending opening for receiving said end portion and being movably connected to said lock and having a shoulder adapted to cooperate with the coupler head to prevent the lock from accidentally assuming unlocked position, and the other of said members being formed with a rearwardly projecting shoulder normally extending under a wall of the coupler head to prevent accidental uncoupling movement of the said end portion and being provided at its lower end with a portion normally projecting rearwardly through said slot.

2. In car coupler mechanism, the combination of a coupler head, a rotatable knuckle, a lock for the knuckle, said lock being provided with an upwardly and rearwardly opening slot, a lock lifter extending downwardly through the top wall of the coupler head and having at its lower end oppositely disposed trunnions for slidably and rotatably connecting said lifter to the lock, said lifter being provided at its lower end with a portion for cooperating with the coupler head to lock said lock in locked position, an uncoupling lever device having an upwardly movable inner end portion adapted to actuate said lifter member to cause the latter to move said lock to unlocked position, and a lever locking member for preventing accidental uncoupling movement of said end portion, said lever locking member having? a shoulder normally extending under a part of the coupler head to prevent said end portion of the uncoupling lever device from accidentally actuating the lock litter, and one of said trunnions extending under and engaging the lower end of said lever locking member.

3. In car coupler mechanism, the combination of a coupler head having a lock down lug on its interior, a rotatable knuckle, a lock for the knuckle, a lock lifter extending downwardly through the top wall of the coupler head and movably connected to said lock, said lifter being provided with a shoulder normally extending under said lock-down lug to lock the lock in locked position, an uncoupling lever device having an upwardly movable inner end portion adapted to actuate said lifter member to cause said shoulder to be withdrawn from beneath said lug, and a lever locking member for preventing accidental uncoupling movement of said end portion, said lever locking member being movably connected to said end portion and being movable with respect to the lifter and having a shoulder adapted to extend under a part of the coupler head to prevent said end portion of the uncoupling lever device from accidentally actuating said lock litter, and the lower end of said lever locking member extending under said lock-down lug of the coupler head when the parts are in normal locked relation.

4. In car coupler mechanism, the combination of a coupler head, a rotatable knuckle, a lock for the knuckle, a lock lifter extending downwardly through the top wall of the coupler head and provided at its lower end with trunnions for movably connecting it to said lock, said lifter being provided with a portion for cooperating with the coupler head to lock the lock in locked position, an uncoupling lever device having an upwardly movable inner end portion adapted to actuate said lifter member, and a lever locking member for preventing accidental uncoupling movement of said inner end portion, said lever locking member and said lifter being relatively movable and being adapted to be successively actuated by said inner end portion, said lifter being provided at its upper end with an upwardly and forwardly extending openin for receiving said inner end portion 0 the uncoupling lever device, and said lever locking member having at its lower end a rearwardly extending downwardly inclined portion slidably engaging one of said trunnions vided with an upwardly and rearwardly opening slot, a lock lifter extending downwardly through the top wall of the coupler head and entering said slot, said lifter being movably connected to said lock and having a portion for cooperating with the coupler head to lock the lock in locked position, an uncoupling lever device having an upwardly movable inner end portion adapted to actuate said lifter member to move said lock to unlocked position, and a lever locking member for preventing accidental uncoupling movement of said end portion, said lever locking member being provided with a shoulder adapted to cooperate with the coupler head to prevent said end portion from accidentally actuating said lock lifter, and said lever locking member being mov- 4 ably connected to said end portion and extending downwardly through the upper wall of the coupler head into the slot of said lock and having its lower end projecting rearwardly through said slot.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

' WILLIAM KELSO. 

